Ground Game

DNC Chairman Howard Dean held a barbecue lunch for the more than 120 bloggers who are credentialed for this year's Democratic National Convention. He began his remarks by telling the bloggers, "I know this will break your heart, but you have better credentials than the mainstream media does."

And that's very true. Most reporters have a "perimeter pass," which grants them entry to the convention area, but not to the Pepsi Center convention hall itself. A select few have hall and floor passes, granting them greater access. But all credentialed bloggers have at least a hall pass and very few restrictions on their activities. Dean also noted that there twice as many bloggers here in Denver then there were in Boston back in 2004.

After his remarks, Dean grabbed some BBQ and sat down, asking any interested bloggers to join the "scrum." Several did, chatting with Dean for about an hour before he jumped into his hybrid SUV and returned to the Pepsi Center for another event.



HorsesAss scribe David Goldstein of Seattle told me, "In 2004, the state party wouldn't even return my calls. ... They've shown us a lot of faith and innovation to be letting us do what we're doing."

Square State's Aaron Silverstein (who blogs from Colorado) added: [blogging] Widens the participation. It lowers the barrier to entry so we don't have to worry about one person's bias serving as a gatekeeper."